Jayco bypasses caravan supershows
Australian RV giant a 'no-show' at major capital city events this yearAustralia's biggest RV manufacturer Jayco will be noticeably absent from major east coast caravan 'Supershows' this year, with the Dandenong, Victoria-based RV giant citing booming pandemic-driven sales as one of the reasons for not exhibiting at next month's NSW Caravan, Camping and Holiday Supershow.
Jayco said a combination of COVID-19 related factors including lengthy factory shutdowns, and limited stock and availability of salespeople, has led to a decision not to attend the major Sydney caravan show, which was last held in 2019.
"Due to COVID-19 and the growth we’ve experienced over the last few months, we currently have limited stock and resources available to attend at our usual capacity at some shows including the upcoming 2021 Sydney Caravan Camping Holiday Supershow on 13–18 April," a Jayco spokesperson told caravancampingsales.
"With that said, we look forward to being back and attending where and when we can."
Jayco is also not on the exhibitor list for the re-scheduled Victorian Caravan, Camping & Touring Supershow (May 13-16), and didn't attend the recent Let's Go Gold Coast Caravan & Outdoor Expo, which had a record turnout of close to 20,000 spectators over three days.
The exhibitor list for the other major capital city RV show, the Let's Go Queensland Caravan and Camping Supershow from June 2-7, has not been released yet.
"When we attend any show, our priority is to deliver the best experience for our customers and we are fully committed to providing a safe and well-staffed environment, with a wide range of new RV models for our customers to browse," the spokesperson said.
"Sadly, due to circumstances beyond our control, we are unable to guarantee that we would be able to deliver the same high standard of display and experience for our customers this year.
"Furthermore, we have limited resources to help provide our customers with the best and safest experience at the show. The availability of interstate contractors, staff and volunteers due to on-again-off-again state border restrictions and testing requirements is proving challenging to adequately enlist a sufficient team."
Jayco urged prospective buyers to visit one of 27 Jayco dealers around the country, although it's believed many dealers are running low on display stock as well as some spare parts and accessories.
Jayco's last 'Supershow' attendance was at the Victorian Caravan Supershow in February 2020, where it had a huge indoor display of an estimated 80-plus RVs, including a JPod toy hauler prototype and new all-terrain campervan.
Like many Australian RV manufacturers, Jayco has experienced a recent surge in sales due to overseas holiday restrictions, and is battling to reduce order backlogs of up to 12 months or more as a result of COVID-19 disruptions.
"Like most businesses in Melbourne, we experienced disruption in manufacturing due to the impact of the strict COVID-19 lockdowns last year," the spokesperson said.
"This meant we couldn’t produce RVs for a period of eight weeks, so stock availability is currently limited. Although the disruption was unprecedented, we have implemented strategies to increase production and our team is working hard to get all orders to customers. We have announced a further 200 manufacturing jobs to help meet the increased demand."
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